Wisconsin troopers get a ride-along in the name of safety

Troopers in Wisconsin will be riding shotgun next week in an effort to reduce the number of crashes and injuries involving commercial motor vehicles.

On Monday, July 8, the Wisconsin State Patrol will begin its annual Trooper in a Truck campaign. During the weeklong “enforcement and education initiative,” officers will ride along with semi-truck and bus drivers to “enforce traffic laws from an elevated point of view.”

“Drivers need to pay attention on the road, especially around large trucks and buses,” Tim Carnahan, Wisconsin State Patrol Superintendent, said in a statement. “Commercial motor vehicles have large blind spots, limited maneuverability and require longer distances to stop. All motorists have to work together to prevent crashes.”

According to the state’s Department of Transportation, officers will focus on “any dangerous driving occurring in the vicinity” of a commercial motor vehicle. If troopers see a violation from the truck or bus, they will communicate with patrol cars in the area for “appropriate enforcement action.”

Trooper in a Truck will continue through Friday, July 12, with enforcement initiatives planned in the following areas:

• July 8, Hudson
• July 9, Waukesha
• July 10, Madison
• July 11, Green Bay
• July 12, Wausau

According to data from the Wisconsin DOT, over the past five years, the state has averaged roughly 7,000 crashes involving large trucks every year. In 2023, there were 70 fatalities resulting from crashes with commercial motor vehicles.

The annual enforcement campaign is a collaboration between law enforcement and the Wisconsin Motor Carriers Association.

“This is the third year we are teaming up with the Wisconsin State Patrol to prevent dangerous driving through the Trooper in a Truck program,” Wisconsin Motor Carriers Association Safety Programs Coordinator Kim Conradt said. “We’re grateful for the wonderful partnerships that make this initiative successful.”

The campaign is part of the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance’s Operation Safe Driver Week, a nationwide awareness and enforcement initiative with the goal of “improving the driving behaviors of passenger vehicle drivers and commercial motor vehicle drivers through educational and traffic enforcement strategies and interactions with law enforcement.”

Operation Safe Driver Week will take place from July 7 through July 13. LL